Side sealing members for operating louver assemblies



SIDE SEALING MEMBERS FOR OPERATING LOUVER ASSEMBLIES Filed Oct- 6, 1965 March 12, 1968 w. E. ADAMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 QJNVENTOR. WlLLlAM E. ADAM W. E. ADAMS March 12, 1968 SIDE SEALING MEMBERS FOR OPERATING LOUVER ASSEMBLIES Filed Oct. 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM E. ADAM J United States Patent O 3,372,514 SIDE SEALING MEMBERS FOR OPERATING LOUVER ASSEMBLIES William E. Adams, Wexford, Pa., assignor to H. H.

Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 6, 1965, Ser. No. 493,366 Claims. (Cl. 4991) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An operating louver assembly of the type having a plurality of louver blades pivotally supported in a frame and having means for moving the louver blades between open and closed positions. Infill plates formed from a flexible material such as Phosphor bronze, are interposed between the end edges of the louver blades and the frame for sealing the spaces between the frame and the blade end edges to minimize light leaks and to further minimize the ingress of wind, rain, snow and debris int-o the interior of the building.

This invention relates to scaling members for use in operating louver assemblies of the type having a plurality of louver blades pivotally supported in a frame and having means for moving the said louver blades between an open position and a closed position, and more particularly relates to scaling members for sealing the spaces between the frame and the end edges of the louver blades.

Louver assemblies of the operating type, are available in which the louver blades are movable between the abovedescribed closed and open positions. These louver assemblies prevent the ingress of major amounts of wind, rain, snow and debris into the interior of the building. These louver assemblies also prevent the infiltration of major amounts of light into the interior of the building. How ever, light, wind, rain, snow and debris does enter the building between the ends of the louver blades and the frame, even though the louver blades are in a closed condition. The amount of wind, rain, snow and debris entering the building is relatively small and inconsequential insofar as the occupants of the building are concerned.

However when the louvers are in a closed position, an occupant of the darkened building can visually observe light along the edges of the louver blades. The light leaks frequently create a subjective dissatisfaction in the mind of the occupant who equates light leaks with ingress of wind, rain, snow and debris. The primary purpose in minimizing the light leaks along the side edges of the louver blades is to avoid the described subjective dissatisfaction of the building occupant.

As an overall object, the present invention seeks to provide improved means for sealing the spaces between the end edges of the louver blades and the frame members adjacent thereto, as to prevent the infiltration of light from outside of the building into the interior of the building.

Another object of the invention is to provide sealing members for operating louver assemblies which do not hinder the desired freely pivotal movement of the louver blades, but, in fact, aid this movement.

Still another object of the invention is to provide sealing members which do not require extrinsic fastening means for retaining them between the aforesaid end edges and adjacent frame members.

A further object of the invention is to provide sealing members for operating louver assemblies of the type described, which may be readily installed into said assemblies without first modifying said assemblies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide 3,3725% Patented Mar. 12, 1968 ice sealing members which require a minimum amount of forming for their manufacture and which do not add materially to the overall cost of the louver assembly.

The present invention provides improvements in louver assemblies of the type wherein the louvers are pivotal between open and closed positions. The improvements sponding end edges when the louver blades are in a closed position. The infill plates are preferably formed from Phosphor bronze and serve as anti-friction elements for the pivotal louver blades. Additionally, the infill plates are installed without the aid of extrinsic fastening means.

' The infill plates are connected to the frame members by tubular elements projecting from the louver blades through corresponding openings provided in the infill plates and the frame members.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a building wall provided with an operating louver assembly incorporating side sealing members of the invention;

'FIG. 2 is a front view of the operating louver assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIGv 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially along the line IVIV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a side sealing member of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 2, illustrating the relative positions of a side sealing member, a side frame member and a louver blade;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary isometric view illustrating partial edge engagement of a louver end edge and a side sealing member of the invention, when the louver blade is in an open position; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary isometric view, similar to FIG. 7, illustrating total edge engagement of a louver end edge and a side sealing member of the invention, when the louver blade is in a closed position.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a building Wall 10 having a conventional louver assembly 12 of the operating type, installed therein to admit fresh air and light into the interior of the building. The louver assembly 12 comprises a frame 14 on which is pivotally supported a plurality of louver blades 16. The louver blades 16 are pivotal between the open position illustrated in FIG. 1 and a closed position which will be described later in the specification. An operating arm of a tie bar 18 connects all of the louver blades and serves to move all of the louver blades simultaneously between the aforesaid open and closed positions.

In accordance with the present invention, side sealing members 20 (only one visible) are interposed between the ends of the louver blades 16 and the frame 12. The side sealing members 20 are positioned so that the ends of the louver blades 16 will be partially engaged with the end sealing members 20 when the blades are in the open position and will be completely engaged with the end sealing members 20 when the blades are in the closed position.

Reference is now directed to FIGS. 2-4, inclusive. As is conventional, the frame 14 comprises opposed parallel side frame members 22 and opposed parallel top and bottom frame members 24, 26, all of which are secured together preferably by means of welding. As can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the louver blades 16 extend be tween the side frame members 22 and are pivotally connected thereto by means of tubular members 28. The tubular members 28 are secured to the louver blades 16 and extend longitudinally thereof through the side frame members 22. Consequently, the louver blades 16 are pivotal about spaced, parallel axes, i.e., the longitudinal axes of the tubular members 28, between the open and closed positions.

The tubular members 28 are offset from the longitudinal centerline, indicated by the dash-dot line 29 in FIG. 4, of the blade 16. Specifically, the tubular members 28 are offset from the centerline 29 so that a greater portion of the blade 16 will project exteriorly of the building when the blade 16 is in the open position.

The tie bar 18 is connected to each of the louver blades 16 by means of clips 30 which are rigidly secured to the louver blades 16 and pivotally connected to the tie bar 18. An arm 32 projects from the tie bar 18 and has connected thereto a spring 34 and chain 36 which extend between a stationary eye 38 and the arm 32. The spring 34 and chain 36 urge the tie bar 18 in an upward direction and, hence, urge the louver blades 16 into the closed position. An operating chain 40 is connected to the arm 32 and depends therefrom to a conventional chain clip 42. The louver blades 16 may be positioned at or between the open and closed positions, as desired, to admit more or less fresh air into the building, by pulling the operating chain 40 and connecting it to the chain clip 42.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the louver blades 16 has opposite end edges 44 adjacent to the side frame members 22 and longitudinal edges 46 extending between the side frame members 22. When the louver blades 16 are in the closed position shown in FIG. 3, the longitudinal edges 46 of adjacent louver blades 16 will be in engagement. Furthermore, the uppermost and lowermost louver blades 16 of the assembly 12 will have their upper and lower longitudinal edges, respectively, engaged with angle stops 47 which are secured to the top and bottom frame members 24, 26.

The engagement of the longitudinal edges 44 of adjacent louver blades 16 and the engagement of the longitudinal edges 44 with the angle stops 47 prevents the infiltration of major amounts of light and prevents ingress of major amounts of wind, rain, snow and debris into the interior of the building. The infiltration of light is prevented by the end sealing members 20.

Reference is now directed to FIG. wherein one of the end sealing members is illustrated. The end sealing members 20 are similar in construction and dilfer only in that there is a right-hand and a left-hand sealing member. The sealing member 20 illustrated in FIG. 5 is a left-hand sealing member which is installed on the left side of the frame 14 as viewed in FIG. 1, for example.

The sealing member 20 comprises an infill plate 48 having a generally U-shaped configuration including a central web portion 50 and projecting inboard and outboard flanges 52a and 52b respectively. That is to say, the projecting flange 5217 will be positioned closest to the outer face of the building wall. Openings 54 are provided at preselected locations along the length of the central web portion 50, i.e., the openings 54 are positioned to receive the ends of the tubular members 28. The openings 54 are offset from the longitudinal centerline, indicated by the dash-dot line 55, of the central web portion 50, toward the projecting outboard flange 52b. By offsetting the openings 54 toward the projecting outboard flange 52b, an even greater amount of the louver blades 16 will project exteriorly of the building.

In FIG. 6, one of the end sealing members 20 is shown installed in the louver assembly 12. The edges of the projecting flanges 52a, 52b are engaged with a face 56 of the side frame member 20 while the central web portion 50 is engaged with the end edge 44 of the louver blade 16 which is illustrated in the closed position, i.e., nearly vertically oriented. As can be seen, the tubular member 28 extends through the opening 54 provided in the central web portion 50 and through an opening 58 provided in the side frame members 22. Consequently, the end sealing members 20 are retained in the louver assembly 12 solely by means of the tubular members 28 passing through the openings 54. Two important advantages result from this construction: First, it should be evident that no extrinsic fasteners are required to install the end sealing members; and second, no modifications need be made to the louver assembly 12 prior to or during the installation of the end sealing members 20. Consequently, the inclusion of the end sealing members 20 in the louver assembly 12 does not add materially to the overall cost of the louver assembly.

Reference is now directed to FIGS. 7 and 8 for an explanation of the manner in which the end sealing members 20 cooperate with louver blades 16 and side frame members 22 to prevent the infiltration of light and, to some extent, wind, rain, snow and debris.

In FIG. 7, the louver blade 16 is illustrated in the open position wherein only a portion, indicated by the bracket 60, of the end edge 44 is in surface engagement with the central web portion 50. In FIG. 8, however, the louver blade 16 is illustrated in the closed position wherein the entire surface of the end edge 44 is in surface engagement with the web portion 50. Thus, as the louver blade 16 is pivoted from the open position of FIG. 7 to the closed position of FIG. 8, progressively more surface area of the end edge 44 will become engaged with the central web portion 50 until the entire surface area of the end edge 44 is engaged with the central web portion 50. Therefore, by virtue of the fact that the edges of the projecting flanges 52a, 52b are in overall surface engagement with the face 56 of the side frame member 22, infiltration of light between the end edges 44 and the side frame member 22 is essentially avoided. Fragments of upper and lower louver plates, indicated herein as 16A and 16B, respectively, also are shown in dotted outline in FIG. 8, to illustrate more clearly the typical engagement of their longitudinal edges 46A, 46B with the longitudinal edges 46 of the louver blade 16.

The end sealing members 20 are preferably formed from Phosphor bronze. As is known, Phosphor bronze is an alloy consisting mainly of copper and tin and having phosphorus added thereto within certain weight ranges. The Phosphor bronze alloy is the preferred material inasmuch as the alloy is flexible (spring-like), has good corrosion resisting, wear resisting and antifriction characteristics. Consequently, by forming the end sealing members 20 from Phosphor bronze and in the U-shaped configuration illustrated, several advantages result. For example, the spring-like property of end sealing members 20 maintains the louver blades 16 centered between the side frame members 22 and prevents the blade chatter which is sometimes associated with prior art louver assemblies. The wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the Phosphor bronze alloy, of course, extends the life of the louver assembly 12. Finally, the antifriction characteristic of the Phosphor bronze alloy prevents the end sealing members 20 from hindering the pivotal movement of the louver blades 16 and, in fact, aids the blade movement.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with one specific embodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

same about said axes between open and closed positions, 1

and means for sealing the spaces between said corresponding end edges of said louver blades and said pair of said frame members, the improvement in said sealing means comprising:

infill plates, one interposed between each frame member of said pair of said frame members and said corresponding end edges of said louver blades and extending along substantially the entire length of said pair of frame members, each of said infill plates having a generally U-shaped configuration including laterally projecting surfaces engaged with one of said frame members and a generally flat web portion having a central portion at all times engaged by central surface portions of said corresponding end edges independent of the position of said louver blades and by the entire surface of said corresponding end edges when said louver blades are in said closed position; and means for retaining each of said infill plates between and engaged with said frame members and said corresponding end edges. 2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said louver blades are movable laterally between said frame members and wherein said infill plates are formed from a flexible metal and resiliently urge said louver blades into a centered position with respect to said frame members.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said infill plates are formed from Phosphor bronze.

4. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for pivotally connecting said louver blades to said frame members comprise tubular elements secured to said louver blades and extending through corresponding openings provided in said frame members and said fiat web portion of said infill plates, the passage of said tubular elements through said infill plates comprising the sole means by which said infill plates are retained between said frame members and said end edges.

5. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the said corresponding openings are aligned off-center from the centerline of the said infill plates.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,337,230 12/ 1943 Christianson 4989 X 2,386,380 10/1945 Andresen et a1 98-121 X 2,449,389 9/ 1948 Kiewswetter 4989 X 2,587,567 2/ 1952 Easton 49303 2,786,243 3/1957 Wiborg 4991 2,954,590 10/1960 Dynner 4987 X 2,981,987 5/1961 Schwab 4991 3,048,375 8/1962 Walker -236 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

PHILIP C. KANNAN, Assistant Examiner. 

